CIHI’s surveys from 2003 to 2007 and 2009 to 2012 (only the 2012 survey data is shown in Quick Stats) tracked data on medical imaging equipment that was installed and operational in Canadian hospitals and free-standing imaging facilities (sometimes also called non-hospital, community-based and/or private facilities) as of January 1 of each year.

Many factors contribute to the observed variations in the analysis of indicators at the provincial/territorial and regional levels. These include, but are not limited to, geography, population health, provincial and regional health service resources, and environmental and socio-economic characteristics. It is important to consider these factors and the effect they may have on indicator results when conducting comparative analyses.

Number of newborn discharges-all records meeting the above inclusion criteria. Total length of stay-calculated by summing the length of stay for all records with a valid length of stay. Average length of stay-calculated by dividing total length of stay by number of discharges with a valid length of stay.

The basic unit of observation is the discharge abstract or the record of an inpatient’s stay in a psychiatrici or general hospital. The discharge abstract is completed at separation (discharge or death). Records are grouped into fiscal years based on the inpatient’s date of separation from the hospital. If an individual was hospitalized more than once in the same fiscal year, a separate record for each stay was submitted. Hence the basic units of observation are events, not unique patients. If an inpatient was admitted prior to the beginning of a fiscal year, the days stayed prior to the year of separation are included in the total days stayed for that event.